Shock radio exit revelation: Why I had to leave Adelaide’s Mix 102.3

A star of Mix 102.3’s brekky show has left without explanation. Here we reveal why.

Award-winning broadcaster Kate Meade is no longer in the mix at Mix 102.3.

Who?, you ask.

The reason you may not be familiar with Kate is that she was working behind the scenes.

In early December 2022 she joined The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show as executive producer.

Kate Meade, Belinda Bocson and Ali Clarke at BPR’s 10th anniversary drinks in 2023. Picture: Supplied

That was after a 12-month stint as senior producer for Jonesy & Amanda on WSFM Sydney. Kate had also a radio gong to her name; she had won an Australian Commercial Radio & Audio (ACRA) award in the country section for Best Sport Presenter for her coverage of the 2018 AFL draft.

But suddenly last month Kate was out of the mix without explanation and we were hearing crickets on social media – as in, no one at Mix had posted a farewell message.

Usually in radio land it means there has been a drama behind the scenes, but Kate says that is definitely not the case.

When we reached out to her, Kate explained it had been her decision to leave Mix.

“I left swiftly because of Pavely app,” she says, adding: “I loved my time at Mix and I loved working with Max and I loved working with Ali.”

Kate Meade has been working in radio for years. Picture: Facebook

Kate said waking up at 3.30am to produce a morning breakfast show had taken its toll and that she knew she had to choose between @pavelyapp and radio.

Kate launched the app – which supports people with disabilities – in 2022 and had been working on it for about 10 hours a week before she decided to pull the plug on radio.

The social planning app makes it quick and easy for people with disabilities – and their families and carers – to locate services such as accessible eateries. Kate also says every disabled toilet in Australia is featured and that pinpointing disabled parking spaces is also in the works.

“I have a son Chester, who is 14, with autism and mild intellectual disability,” she says, adding: “He’s chief vibe officer of Pavely app.”

Kate Meade’s Insta bio. Picture: Instagram

Kate says Mix’s parent company ARN was supportive and keen to find another role for her but she knew it was time to leave.

She is proud of the community work the brekky team was involved with and its progress in the ratings “from fifth to second in FM” during her time at Mix.

“I have fallen in love with Adelaide and the people – it’s a beautiful place to live,” she says.

Kate has made close friends here and has been talking up Adelaide and South Australia on Instagram.

She’s posted pics of herself at the Fringe and on Kangaroo Island, where she was wearing Adelaide label Sunset Lover, which is the creation of Melanie Flintoft.

Kate Meade wearing Sunset Lover on KI. Picture: Instagram

Kate Meade at Mix in January. Picture: Instagram

Kate Meade with her Mix workmates. Picture: Instagram

Kate’s relationship with Mix finished not long after Valentine’s Day. On February 14 she posted a pic of herself at Glenelg in with colleagues Tarlia Hill and Isabella Feleppa. All three were wearing Mix T-shirts and the post was captioned “Dream Team”.

It was Kate’s last post about Mix and she has removed all references to the station in her bio, where she’s launched herself as the CEO & Co Founder of @pavelyapp.

Mix 102.3’s content director Stephen Werner said in statement: “ Kate Meade, our breakfast EP, has made the decision to resign from Mix and focus on new business opportunities, and her next steps in radio and podcasting. We will miss Kate, and wish her all the best for her next chapter.”